As of September 19, 2024, at 10:00 AM British Summer Time, Pocketpair publicly disclosed a statement regarding the ongoing lawsuit via Palworld’s official Twitter handle. It reads as follows:
“A legal action was brought against our firm yesterday, alleging patent infringement.” Upon obtaining discovery of this lawsuit, we are in a position to initiate appropriate legal proceedings and conduct thorough investigations into allegations of patent infringement. As of this moment, we are currently unaware of the specific patents we are alleged to be infringing on, nor have we received notification regarding these details.
“PocketPair is a small independent sports firm headquartered in Tokyo.” As a company, our core mission has consistently been to craft engaging and entertaining video games. As a direct result of recognizing the immense joy and entertainment our video games bring to hundreds of millions of players globally, we have decided to move forward with this initiative. Palworld proved a stunning surprise hit last year, delighting both gamers and our team. We’ve been overwhelmed by the incredible enthusiasm surrounding our sports coverage and have been putting in extra effort to further elevate the experience for our audience. We’re set to advance Palworld and strive to develop a game that will thrill our enthusiasts.
While navigating the complexities of the lawsuit, it’s unfortunate that we’ll be compelled to divert valuable resources away from our primary objective: enhancing athletic performance. Notwithstanding this, we will strive diligently on behalf of our audience, with a view to ensuring that independent sports developers are neither impeded nor disheartened in their creative endeavors. We regretfully acknowledge any anxiety or distress our recent announcement may have caused among our dedicated followers and advocates. As always, we appreciate your ongoing support for Palworld and Pocketpair.
It is truly taking place. A lawsuit has been filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company against Palworld developer Pocketpair, claiming that the game infringes on multiple patent rights.
If you’re out of the loop, recall that Palworld’s initial surge in popularity earlier this year was marred by allegations of borrowing heavily from Pokémon, particularly with regard to character designs and aesthetics. The Pokémon Company has issued a statement regarding this matter.
As of September 18, Nintendo and TPC Holdings have initiated legal action against Pocket Pair by filing an authorised motion with the Tokyo District Court, according to a statement released on Nintendo’s official website. The plaintiff seeks injunctive relief and monetary compensation for alleged patent infringement, claiming that Palworld, a sports game developed and published by the defendant, violates multiple patents.
Nintendo will take all necessary steps to protect its intellectual property, including the iconic Nintendo brand, from any infringement or unauthorized use, in order to safeguard the valuable assets that have been developed over years of dedication and hard work.
We have contacted Pocketpair seeking further comment.
The Pokémon Company reconfirmed its stance in January, affirming plans to investigate and implement necessary actions to address any intellectual property infringements related to Pokémon. As of June, Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe revealed that the company had yet to receive any subsequent communications or updates regarding the matter, with no behind-the-scenes interactions having taken place since his initial statement.
The latest update arrives shortly after Tokyo Game Show listings seemingly hinted at a previously-teased PS5 port of Palworld, potentially paving the way for an official announcement soon, which could very well have influenced the delay’s timing.
